Pack Tales: Love was Fast
by BlondBanana
Summary: The first installation of the story of the pack and their imprints. Ever wondered what their history, their stories are? Here is my solution to that!
1. Chapter 1

Hey there! Blondie, here.

So I've decided to go about this in an orderly manner (finally!). I kept getting bits and pieces of the story in my head so I decided to actually write out a timeline of how I wanted this to go. I've created a serious of stories (some short and other very long) per each imprinted couple, both inside and outside the books. But I figured, the best way to tell a story is to start at the beginning. So here it is... here is Love was Fast, the story of Sam and Emily. Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. I've waited to post this until I've gotten a couple chapters ahead of myself. That way I should be posting more regularly (if we are lucky, every or every other Thursday).

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my words.

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1. Burning Red

The rage clouded my thoughts, fueled my temper, and hazed my vision. I couldn't control it anymore. It needed out but I didn't know where.

I was uncomfortably hot. The heat was everywhere, making me feel like someone shoved the sun itself inside my chest. To escape the burning red rage, I ran.

The wind cooled my skin, which had felt like it was scalding. My shirt felt tight so I ripped it away from my body letting the pieces flap in the wind, not once breaking stride.

I had to keep running. Just keep running, I told myself. It felt better that way, getting the wind to cool me and the exercise to calm my uncontrollable temper. I stumbled on and fell to my knees. I moved to wipe the sweat from my eyes but my body changed. I had no control over it anymore.

My sight was better; I could see every fine detail of the leaves hundreds of feet above me. My hearing was refined; I could hear a hummingbird's wings flutter and a deer step on a twig a mile away. My nose burned with the overwhelming nature of smells that I had never smelt before. All of my senses were overwhelmed so in this new body, I ran.

I had no idea where I was going or where I was but I knew that I had to keep running and I did just that until I ran by a river, its pristine water giving me a mirror like image of my new body. Except, it wasn't a body at all. I was no longer human. Instead of my human body in the reflection, there stood a wolf the size of a bear with a coat as dark as coal. Terrified, I took off again- this time being diligent to avoid any reflective surfaces.

By the time my fear and anger had dissipated, I figured I must be somewhere in Canada. However, a new fear gripped me. How do I get back? Not back to Forks, but back to being human?

It was getting dark and my energy had dissipated alongside my rage and fear. I used my newly, overdeveloped senses to find a field where I could bed down until morning. I curled up and tried my best to get some sleep. However, I found my mind would not stop. A million and one questions ran through my head. Most prominently: what do I tell Leah?

As I tossed and turned all night, I thought of possible answers to each question.

How did this happen? Next.

Why did this happen? Next.

How do I change back? Next.

How do I get back to Forks? I guess I could run back, avoid the hassle of border patrol.

What do I do when I get back to Forks? Keep it to myself. Anyone else will think I am crazy.

What do I tell Leah? Nothing. I'll tell her I was feeling overwhelmed and just needed to escape for a bit but nothing has changed.

How do I prevent this from happening again? My temper, my uncontrollable rage, seemed to have caused this. Nothing else was out of the norm. So that question was easy to answer: remain calm. However, I quickly learned that despite being the easiest question to answer, my fuse was shorter than normal. Everything pissed me off: the fact that I was stuck like this, that I didn't have a clue, that Leah was probably searching frantically for me, and that I was unable to do anything in this form.

Eventually, one night of many nights of sleepless rest, it clicked. My rage triggered this. My rage probably kept me in this form.

The next morning at dawn, I sat and tried to think calming thoughts. I tried to recall all those times that Leah had started and stopped yoga during our relationship. I channeled that calm and breathing style as I sat on my haunches. I kept my eyes closed and tried to block out all the distracting noises.

I opened my eyes and found the same as before: my heightened senses remained and my extreme body temperature was still well above normal. I moved to rub a paw over my face, a move that I often did as a human when frustrated. Instead of the silky fur I had grown accustomed to, I was shocked when I felt the roughness of my calloused hands.

Excitedly, I looked down only to see my human body. Ecstatic, I yelled and jumped in triumph. I did notice that I was naked so that answered another of my questions: clothes do not remain when shifting.

Knowing I would have to return to wolf form to return to Forks, I was unperturbed by my nakedness. Now that I had cracked the key, I was only too happy to return home to Leah.

I thought of my father in order to pump rage into my body so I would shift back into wolf form. As soon as I was wolf again, I took off at a dead sprint towards home (somehow knowing exactly where it was).

I arrived, shifted back to human form, and agilely climbed up to my bedroom window where I was able to grab a fresh set of clothes. My new super senses picked up on someone downstairs. Quickly, I went back out the same way I came in then walked around front. I entered the unlocked door to find Leah pacing in my kitchen, a nervous wreck.

"Sam!" She cried overjoyed.

"Leah." I smiled and opened my arms as she launched herself into them. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, breathing in her scent.

"Where were you?" She asked, pulling away just enough so I could see and smell tears.

"I went out of town for a little bit," I lied, "I needed to go for a some time. Get some perspective."

"About what?" Leah asked, curiously as she studied my face.

"My father. I've been looking for him and it finally dawned on me that I was looking for someone who didn't want me. I needed some space to deal with that realization." I lied, knowing she wouldn't believe a small offhand lie. It needed to be in-depth, elaborate.

"Sam, you could have told me about that." Leah sighed, buying it hook, line, and sinker. A feeling of regret and remorse sunk into my stomach and made a nice little home there. I could tell it was going to be there for a while.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wasn't myself." I responded ashamed but not for the reason she thought, for once telling the truth.

"Sam, I'm always here for you- no matter what." Leah said, gently.

"I know." I nodded, taking her hand to kiss it gently.

"I've got to go but I'll be back later." Leah said, glancing at her watch quickly, "You'd better be here when I get back."

I smiled softly at her thinly veiled threat.

"I'm just going to run to the store real quick and then I'll be here all afternoon." I said, spreading my arms out.

"Sounds good. I love you." Leah said, kissing me gently.

"I love you too." I said, kissing her back.

I followed her out and kept true to my word, making a trip to the store. Apparently, I was going to need new clothes- Leah kept half of my supply and if I phased again, I didn't want to be depleting my stock.

As I searched the aisles for anything else that I could need, clothes in the basket, I brushed by Old Quil.

"Sam!" Old Quil said in a gravelly voice, "Good to see you back."

He reached out to take my hand so I offered my own. Upon contact with my warmer then usual skin, Old Quil's eyes widened and I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

"Old Quil?" I asked quickly, supporting him easily. Quickly, discovering the inhuman strength that accompanied all my newly heightened senses.

"Sam, what happened to make you disappear?" Old Quil whispered.

"I-" I went to start on the lie but Old Quil cut me off.

"Don't lie."

"I turned into a wolf." I whispered, after double-checking our surroundings.

"We must meet with the Elders. I must gather all the Elders. We must go now." Quil said, yanking me out of the store, all of our items forgotten and discarded.

"Elders? Why? Do you know something about this?" I interrogated.

"It would do you well not to forget your history so easily." Old Quil replied cryptically as I helped him into my car.

"Where to?" I asked, climbing in.

"Billy's. Harry can come to us." Old Quil instructed and I quickly obeyed.

"Billy! Billy! It's happened!" Old Quil said, getting out of the car as soon as I had it in park.

"Quil?" Billy called in confusion, rolling himself onto the front porch as Quil stumble-ran towards the front of the house like a mad man.

"Sam?" Billy asked, once he could see me. His confusion, evident on his face, only increased.

"Call Harry!" Quil raved, still sounding quite mental like instead of calling Harry, we should be calling a mental facility.

I managed to catch up to him and assist with his trip up the ramp Jacob had built for his father.

Still bewildered, Billy rolled back inside and called Harry, insisting that he came down right now.

"Quil, tell me what's going on." Billy commanded but Old Quil's energy was drained and he gasped for air.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed him a cup of water. Billy's attention was turned to me when I returned with the water.

"You, talk." Billy demanded.

"We were in the store. He shook my hand and then asked me where I had gone. He demanded that I not lie to him so when I told him the truth, he freaked out and said we had to talk to the Elders." I explained, vaguely mostly because that was all I had understood.

"What was the truth?" Billy asked, relentless, as he rolled forward to touch my burning skin.

"I turned into a wolf." I breathed.

"Are you being serious?" Billy gasped, studying my face with unbelieving eyes.

"Yes. Why? Do you believe me?" I asked frantically. Now I had two crazy old men on my hands.

"Of course, we do!" Billy rebuked.

"Why?" I asked as Harry's car roared down the driveway.

"Sam, think of our legends! Those aren't just some things that we old folks make up to entertain ourselves, they are founded in truth!" Billy said just as Harry burst through the door.

"What is going on?" Harry demanded as Old Quil kept babbling about it **finally** happening.

"Sam, here, has been touched with a gift from the spirits." Billy said, turning Harry's attention to me.

"You! You put my daughter through Hell for two weeks!" Harry exclaimed, enraged.

"Harry! Listen!" Billy commanded, "Sam phased. The spirits gifted him!"

"What?" Harry asked dumbfounded, boring holes in my head.

Add another one to the list of crazy, old men in this house, I thought to myself.

Harry rushed forward to touch me, only to find my abnormally high temperature as the others already had.

"Sweet Spirits." Harry murmured, sitting down.

"Would someone like to fully explain to me what is going on?" I asked, slightly aggravated.

"Sit down, Sam. There's a lot we need to discuss." Billy motioned. Harry was already sitting and Old Quil was too excited to stop smiling or sit, it was actually a little creepy.

That's how all those questions that had been running through my head for the past two weeks were answered: Billy, Harry, and Old Quil. They became my pillars, my Google for every question I had, and my support. They warned me about everything- imprinting, vampires, and phasing. I learned everything I needed to that night and some things that would keep me up for nights to come while Leah, a person I now knew I wasn't guaranteed a future with, cuddled into my side.


	2. Chapter 2

Hiya! I just couldn't wait to post again so here's an early present for those of you out there that might actually be reading this story. I know there are a lot.

Just a little heads up, periods of time might be missing because I don't like filler stories. If it is missing, I'll mention it up here. For example, in this chapter some time has passed since Sam's disappearance. Another forewarning, I switched up the narrative so look out for it!

Hope you like the meet and greet between Sam and Emily. :)

Disclaimer: I only own my ideas, my thoughts, and my words.

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2. Brighter then the Sun

**SAM POV**

Leah was jabbering, excited that I was finally going to meet her cousin. I had never met her before, which was quite a feat because they were like sisters and we had been dating for a year and a half- already talking about marriage and kids.

I listened to her drone on- that was something I had never used to describe Leah before, drone. However, now, I was different. The tribe leaders had me running ragged and I didn't have the energy to deal with Leah anymore. Not to mention the overpowering feelings that I used to possess for her, just weren't there anymore. She was still as beautiful as ever but my love for her was fading. I would always love Leah but I definitely wasn't in love with her anymore. It didn't help that I feared the impending nature of a possible imprint, which would force me away from her.

The doorbell rang, interrupting her one-sided conversation, and she perked right up, dashing for the door.

"LEAH!" Emily yelled excitedly.

"EMILY!" Leah cried back. I tried not to wince as their shrieks of excitement pierced my sensitive and highly developed hearing. Slowly, I made my way to the door.

"I'm guessing she's here?" I called out sarcastically, pushing open the door to where they stood on the porch.

"Yes! Get out here!" Leah said, excitedly grabbing my hand and pulling me out on the front porch as well.

There stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I mean, absolutely flawless. She stood taller then Leah with the figure of a model. She had long, flowing black hair and sparkling eyes. I was so thoroughly star-struck by her beauty that I forgot to introduce myself until Leah prompted me.

"Em, this is Sam." Leah beamed. Automatically, I reached a hand out to shake hers.

"I feel like I've known you forever." She smiled back, taking my hand as sparks flew up my arm.

Wow was the only thing I was physically capable of thinking.

**EMILY POV**

Leah released me to grab the hand of the man who had been halfway out the door. He stepped into the light to let me see him clearly. He was tall and built like you wouldn't believe. His arms had thick bands of muscle and his shirt strained against his perfectly sculpted chest. His angular features set him far apart from any other man I had ever seen.

I was thankful when Leah prompted introductions for it prevented me from awkwardly gawking at this beautiful man.

"Em, this is Sam." Leah beamed. He reached forward to shake my hand, seemingly unfazed unlike myself whose mind was reeling.

"I feel like I've know you forever." I smiled back, trying to seem nonchalant as I took his hand to shake.

All I wanted to do was to get to know this man better. For Leah's sake, I tried to correct myself. She had been talking about marrying this man, how dare I find him this attractive?

"Well, let's go inside. We've got things to do." Leah said mischievously, as she looped an arm through mine and toted me inside. Sam followed after us like a giant manly shadow.

"Like what?" Sam asked, in his deep timber.

"Girly things. You won't like it." Leah called over her shoulder.

"Okay, then. That's my cue to leave. I'll see you at dinner tonight." Sam said, kissing Leah gently on the cheek. Even watching that simple action was like a knife to my gut- a painful reminder that this beautiful man wasn't mine. He gave me one last unreadable look before exiting, ducking out the door.

"Let's go do our nails!" Leah exclaimed, pulling me past the rest of her family without so much as an acknowledgement and up to her room.

**SAM POV**

I needed to get to the Elders, right now. I wasn't sure what just happened but I had a fairly good idea and was sure it didn't bode well for my immediate relationship to Leah.

"Billy, you've got to help me." I announced bursting through his door, knowing that Jacob would be in school.

"What? What happened?" Billy asked frantically, rolling into the living room where I stood.

"I think I imprinted." I said, falling down on his couch.

"That's great. On who?" Billy asked, coming closer yet.

"On Leah's cousin, Emily." I breathed, just saying her name made me feel better.

"Oh…" Billy said awkwardly.

"What do I do?" I begged, looking to him for help.

"I, uhh…, I don't know." Billy sighed, "I guess we will talk with the other Elders."

"Harry is going to kill me!" I exclaimed.

**EMILY POV**

Leah and I had been getting pretty all afternoon. We had done our nails and dressed up all fancy like we were five years old again.

Sue called upstairs to tell us that dinner was ready. Leah bounded down the stairs into the waiting arms of Sam. I followed more slowly, mulling over the information Leah had confided in me over the past afternoon.

While Leah had been painting her toenails, Leah had paused and looked at me.

"I think Sam and I are going to break up." Leah had said and then continued painting like nothing had happened.

I had been recalling that all afternoon, feeling guilty about the excitement that rose in my heart at the prospect of Sam being single and remorseful because I knew how much Leah cared about him.

However, in public, Leah never showed any signs of the fear she had whispered to me in her bedroom. She kissed Sam happily and intertwined her fingers with his so they could go into the dining room together.

I lingered on the bottom step until Seth emerged from the hidden bathroom under the stairs.

"Forget something?" Seth asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Nope." I said, letting him pull me into the dining room where I put on a happy façade just like Leah had.

"Good." Seth said, taking his spot across from Leah while I took the only one left- across from Sam. I tried to not gulp audibly as I pictured this meal with it being socially acceptable for me to stare at Sam throughout the entire meal.

I took my seat but food was already being passed around and Sam was taking enough to feed an army. I now understood why Sue had made so much, the boys who made up half of the table all had heaping plates with a look in their eyes that said they were going for seconds as soon as they were done.

I ate like a bird, my appetite having disappeared as my feelings rode a roller coaster: happy, sad, delighted, angry, disappointed, elated. All of them coming in waves were enough to make me nauseated.

"Emily, are you feeling okay?" Sue asked, placing a cool hand on top of mine when I set my fork down with a bang.

"I just feel a little green." I tried to shake it off, reaching forward with a shaky hand to clutch my glass of water and sip it.

"Oh, you poor dear." Sue said, giving Harry a pointed look. He nodded and came to my side.

"Can I help you to the couch?" Harry asked kindly.

"No. I'm fine. I can get there by myself." I said, standing slowly.

"I'll get her." Sam announced and no one even questioned the ring of authority in his voice. He came to my side immediately and lifted me like I was a feather, carrying me forward to the couch.

"I'll be okay." I said, curling into a tight ball and gripping the pillow.

"You'd better be." Leah threatened.

"Leah, she's sick." Sam admonished.

"Yeah, we've been planning this camping trip forever. We can't just not go now." Leah exclaimed exasperatedly.

"I'll be better by tomorrow." I said, attempting to diminish the tension in the room.

"Good." Leah nodded.

"Lee, she can't go if she doesn't feel well." Sam said, grabbing her arm before she could exit the room and go back to dinner.

"Sam, we've been planning this for a long time. We are going." Leah challenged his authority.

"I just need to rest. I'll be okay in the morning." I assured them needlessly, neither were listening to me.

"Leah, plans change." Sam argued.

"Yeah, apparently they do." Leah sniped. Suddenly, I got clued in that this wasn't about me anymore but about their disintegrating relationship and I shut up real fast.

"Sometimes things happen unexpectedly and the plans change. We can't help that." Sam retaliated. My stomach lurched and I had to burst through their argument in a fever-ridden stumble to get to the bathroom under the stairs in time.

"We can't or we won't?" Leah challenged again.

"I'm going to go help your cousin. We can discuss this later." Sam hissed before I heard his footsteps approaching. It was amazing how in tune to him I was. I could hear his whisper-soft footsteps over the sound of my own retching.

"Emily, are you okay? Can I get you anything?" Sam asked through the cracked door.

"Fine." I choked, "Go back to dinner."

"I'll get you a cool washcloth." Sam said, taking off to the linen closet close to the master bedroom. He returned and ran it under cool water before gently sweeping away my long locks to place it on the back of my neck. Its cool temperature was a welcome reprieve to the heat that overwhelmed my body.

I collapsed from my crouching position and leaned up against the cool tile walls, pulling the washcloth around to wipe off my face.

"Thank you." I said, breathily.

"Anything else I can do?" Sam offered but Sue was there then, presenting a toothbrush and paste.

"I'll help her, Sam. You get back to dinner." Sue smiled kindly as I used her hand to help myself up so I could clean up.

"Thanks Sue." I smiled feebly before brushing my teeth.

"Don't worry about them. They are just going through a rough patch." Sue reassured me, rubbing my back softly.

The next morning, I was feeling no better. I had only barely managed to find small fits of sleep throughout the night but got a nice wake-up call by my stomach lurching, causing me to grab the bowl Sue had left near my bed before I puked all over the guest bed.

As I stumbled out of the hidden bathroom after brushing my teeth, I saw Leah sitting dejectedly at the kitchen counter.

"Guess we aren't going, huh?" She asked, nursing her cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry." I apologized quickly.

"It's not your fault. I'm sorry for insinuating it was last night. That was just me being angry at Sam, not you." Leah apologized as well, which left me in shock. Leah doesn't apologize, period.

"You want to talk about it?" I offered, wrapping the blanket tighter around my freezing body.

"I'd rather not get sick." Leah said, eyeballing me skeptically.

"Understandable." I giggled, "I'll just remain in quarantine until I can at least drive back home."

"Sounds good." Leah said, actually cracking a smile, "I'll call you."

"From right upstairs and we can chat." I nodded, grabbing some more water and heading back to the room.

Once I was finally in the clear, almost the entire weekend later, I had to pack up my car and start the drive back. Everyone had already left so it was just me at the house, packing and cleaning, when Sam was running down the driveway.

"Leah's not here." I called, throwing another bag in the car.

"I know. I'm not here for her, I'm here for this." Sam said, from right next to me. I looked up startled but before I could react our lips were interlocked and I never wanted them to be apart again.

"No." I gasped, shoving him away as I stared in shock. Quickly, I got in the car and drove away- trying to pretend it never happened but loving that it had.


End file.
